Gamma Irradiation Effect on the Verdet Constant of Standard Single-Mode Ge-Doped Optical Fibre

Optical fibres are considered for applications in various nuclear environments in the presence of radiation exposure. Under irradiation, the properties of the optical fibres are modified. In the present paper we investigate the influence of gamma radiation on the magneto-optical properties of the Corning SMF-28e optical fibre. The stability of the Verdet constant is an important requirement for performing current measurements under radiation, for example, in magnetic fusion installations during nuclear (deuterium–tritium) plasma operation, where radiation at MGy dose levels can be accumulated. Our results demonstrate that radiation-induced changes in the Verdet constant are within its measurement accuracy (0.56%) for gamma radiation doses up to 770 kGy.